There have been a number of attempts to remove and reclaim energy and water from exhaust gases. Combustion engines generate exhaust heat, as a result of burning fossil fuels. Typically, about ⅔ of the energy used to power an engine is wasted in released exhaust heat. In addition to heat, water in the form of steam is also generated and expelled as a byproduct. In order to collect the water from the exhaust, the hot gas mixture must be cooled below the dew point, for the water to condense for collection.
Rapid cooling of the exhaust requires a substantial amount of energy and is often very expensive. Attempts have been made to capture the water from internal combustion engines. Most attempts utilize air to air heat exchangers and refrigeration units. The heat exchangers require extensive surface area and the refrigeration units are large, complex, costly, and expensive to run.
Accordingly, there is a need for methods and apparatus that improves the recovery of energy and water from exhaust gases.